Chapter Text
"Grow up, Nebraska."
Niki looked at South, she didn't mean to anger south, not at all, she tried to help. South and Carolina had a training match and to everyone's not surprised gasps, South lost. So Niki had tried to calm South down since its something she thought to be good at considering her AI itself is rational rage so she was well equip to handle thing, or so she thought.
"What?"
"Your always so happy, even when your upset or you loose you don't fucking get angry. You think we don't see past it? The little facade you put on so no one sees just how damaged you are? The abandonment issues? Grow. The fuck. Up. We get it, your brother fucking left get over it. No one asked for you to be so happy all the time and quite frankly it's annoying."
South spewed while holding her helmet on her hip before then throwing it halfway across the locker room and throwing a punch to a locker.
"You really don't get it do you?"
Niki flinched, the vibration of the locker surprising her. She carefully watched South's lips.
"You're a burden in the field."
With that, Niki looked away. She looked anywhere but South and fiddled with her hands. She technically wasn't wrong.. There were definitely times where someone had to come get her from a sticky situation because she couldn't hear her teams coms, or the director had to partner her up with someone for translating. She wasn't wrong, but she was capable.. right? The only person better at Stealth missions was carolina but other than that she was the most qualified? Right?
A small grey glow appeared in her peripheral vision, she raised her face slightly to see Psi floating slightly in front of her. His armour was much like omegas, however Omegas colour was black, Psis was grey.
"That's enough South." Psi spoke.
South glared up at Psi, glared at Niki before laughing and clutching her stomach causing Niki to look back up to South.
"Oh Right!" She raised her voice. "Funny that you got an AI right? The rookie? You've been here for 6 months! I've been here for years! Yet you get an AI?!" South yelled, she walked over to Niki and grabbed her by the collar of her armour and harshly pinned her against a set of lockers.
Sweat rolled down the back of Nikis neck and her heart thumped loudly in her chest, she'd seen South angry before but she never acted on it, especially to people.
"I'm sorry, South." Niki mustered out. She was sorry, not entirely sure why but the need and feel to apologise was there. Sure, the AI situation wasn't entirely her fault but it's because of her that South feels distrusted by the project, there's no other reason they wouldn't have given her an AI already.
Souths eyes were just full of anger, no remorse, mercy or regret. Just anger.
{Should I send a message to the others for help?}
Psi spoke in her head, she heard it clear as day.
No, it's okay. If this makes her feel better then it's okay.
{That's stupid Niki. I'm gonna radio the others}
Do not.
{Niki as much as I'm your AI and I have total faith in you. She will wipe the floor with you, we both know your ability to close quarters combat doesn't compare to Souths.}
But I can help
{You wanting to help does not mean get your ass beat}
South raised her left arm and curled her fist into a ball, Niki wasn't wearing her helmet and South was wearing her armour still. This was bound to hurt.
{MOVE?!}
Niki squeezed her eyes shut but the hit never came, after a couple seconds she slowly opened one of her eyes to see South being held back on the lockers opposite her. Aqua armour held South back, it was Carolina.
Nikida let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and relaxed alittle, until she felt a throbbing sting on the back of her head. She lifted an arm up to touch where her head hurt, she flinched slightly upon touching her head before pulling her arm back to see red liquid coating her hand.
{You must've hit your head really hard on the lockers. Heads up}
Niki looked up, South pushed past Carolina to the door of the locker room while eyeing Niki on her way out. Niki bit her inner cheek to hide some of the anxiety that was welling in her chest.
Washington and CT came into view, Niki tried to focus on they're lips but for some reason it was using more energy and effort than it use to. Carolina then came into view and held up 2 fingers, or 4? Doesn't matter.
"Braska? Hey you good?"
"Shes bleeding, look at her hand."
"Oh boy."
That familiar grey glow re-appeared infront of Niki, the three freelancers shifted they're attention to Psi.
"Psi, what's going on?" Wash asked, his voice uneasy. He was wearing his helmet unlike the others in the room but his expression was easy to guess from his tone of voice.
"South was pissed off that Niki was like. Better? Don't ask me that woman confuses me but she's pissed off at Niki for something that's not her fault, that's the jist of it" Psi explained.
Carolina eyed Niki, Niki shook her head alittle to get her thoughts together before stepping away from the locker. She swayed alittle, to which Wash and CT immediately grabbed her to keep her steady. Wash put Nikis arm over his shoulder to keep her up right which wasn't an issue, she was small.
"Vitals report." Carolina demanded towards Nebraskas AI.
Psi looked back behind him to Niki, he already knew she had a minor concussion from the strong impact she and the locker made. There was blood on the locker where Niki had hit her head with a dent, plus the other locker where South had punched had a dent the size of her fist.
Psi shook his head and looked back to Carolina.
"Minor concussion, a little shaken up. She'll need assistance getting to the infirmary."
"I got it." Wash spoke up from besides Niki, he was already carrying her out the locker room with Niki occasionally tripping over her own feet besides him.
"Right. I'll go have words with South and North."
{We should beat South's ass in training next time.}